Juju maestro and evangelist, Ebenezer Obey, has said that, at 73, he
still composes songs inside toilets.
Part of the revelations he made three years ago during his 70th
birthday celebration was that he found toilets to be conducive for his
muse.
In an interview with journalists in his Ikeja, Lagos home on Friday,
Obey said that although he could compose anywhere, toilets still
remain one of the most productive environments for him.
He said, "The reason is that I always have busy schedules. When I am
in the house, there will be a lot of things and people – especially
visitors – to attend to. So, people will naturally disturb me when I
want to compose songs. But the toilet is the only place where no one
can disturb me. At times when I am there, I stay longer because I
compose songs there."
Obey, however, stressed that God is the source of his inspiration and
that was why many of his songs are evergreen. He advised budding
artistes and youths generally to be hardworking and believe that
challenges and adversity are a stepping stone to success. According to
him, he was once a labourer, clerk, vendor and an ice cream seller.
He explained, "Anyone who wants to succeed in life should be prepared
to go through certain challenges. In my early days, I struggled a lot.
I was a labourer. I was a vendor and an ice cream seller. The bicycles
that ice cream sellers rode in those days were bigger than what obtain
now. Yet, I was riding mine up and down.
"That time, I always prayed to God and asked: Why have you not
answered me? We used to buy papers at Idi Oro, in the Mushin area of
Lagos. By 2am, we were already on queue. The papers we were selling
then wereDaily Times, West African Pilot, Daily Express, Nigerian
Tribune and Morning Express.It was not easy walking up and down the
streets selling papers. Vendors use horns now. Then, we had to shout
on top of our voices."
Obey, who is one of Nigerian musicians with the highest number of
evergreen albums, said he had discovered his musical talent at that
time but his mother did not want him to be a musician. It took his
determination and a chance encounter with two old musicians, who gave
him an opportunity to perform at functions, to get to the path of his
musical destiny.
On how he copes without his wife who died about four years ago, he
said, "My wife is with the Lord. God called her in 2011. I miss her.
There is no way you won't miss such a wonderful woman. But I know it
is God who called her. And one day, I too will go and be with Him.
Some people have asked if I am not going to remarry. But I say I have
not been led to do so. My children and grandchildren have filled many
gaps. All of them are around me. They are taking good care of me."
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